Things to Do in Marrakech

There are many things you can do while vacationing in Marrakech, otherwise known as the Red City. For instance, Marrakech is home to “souks” or traditional North African marketplaces, and it is filled to the brim with these shops and their bargain sales.

You can buy most anything to your heart’s content, and they typically include affordable merchandise like food, souvenirs, tagines, teapots, Moroccan carpets, kaftans, jalabas, shoes, spices, hammocks, and so forth. Meanwhile, the market adjacent to Djemaa El Fna is one of Morocco‘s finest because the souks there offer attractions, excited locals, and a multitude of goods that rivals any other marketplace within the labyrinthine Marrakech.

What’s more, it’s highly recommended that you invest on GPS or a map before going to the souks to avoid getting lost.

As for accommodations, Marrakech also has that covered in the form of the cozy and secluded riad. These traditional Moroccan residences are typically located within old city districts, so staying there is akin to traveling back in time, in a sense. These riad homes were abandoned by their rich owners a couple of centuries ago, so now they serve as vacation rentals, luxury hotels, and outright prime real estate by affluent Moroccans or traveling European investors.

Aside from the souks and riads of Marrakech, Morocco’s Red City is also known for its world famous marketplace and square known as the Djemaa El-Fna. This tourist hotspot and attraction in one is located in the ancient wall of Marrakech‘s medina quarter. More to the point, if you’re visiting Marrakech, then going to Djemaa El-Fna should be one of your top priorities. Even though the name of the place is foreboding and fit for a horror story (“Djemaa” in Arabic means “Assembly of the Dead”), it also refers to the vanished Almoravid mosque and, most importantly, is home to a parade fo delights such as storytellers, Chleuh dancing boys, snake charmers, musicians, and youths with chained Barbary apes. In short, it’s Morocco’s own circus parade, in a sense.

One more thing you’d love to do while in Morocco is visit its wealth of palaces, mosques, and even tombs. The Moroccans, their ancestors, and their predecessors are all artistic and creative people, so scoping out their lovely architecture, religious landmarks, and mortuaries is a cultural experience you shouldn’t miss. From the elaborate El Badi Palace to the intricate El Bahia Palace, from the well-maintained Koutoubia Mosque to the well-preserved Saadian Tombs, Morocco has all sorts of culturally relevant and historically significant places to visit that will literally take your breath away, so to speak.